U.S. patent application number 10/082173 was filed with the patent office on 2003-01-16 for method of controlling levels used to restrict video reproduction by video reproducing system and apparatus for controlling the same.
This patent application is currently assigned to SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Paek, Seung-Kyu.
Application Number | 20030014751 10/082173 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 19712144 |
Filed Date | 2003-01-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030014751 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Paek, Seung-Kyu |
January 16, 2003 |
Method of controlling levels used to restrict video reproduction by
video reproducing system and apparatus for controlling the same
Abstract
The prevent invention provides an apparatus and a method of
restricting the reproduction of a video according to levels of a
video reproducing system. More particularly, a digital video disc
(DVD) system of the present invention reproduces a video according
to a parental level corresponding to an input password. Otherwise,
the DVD system reproduces the video from a DVD title according to a
default parental level. An authorized user sets one or more
passwords corresponding to parental levels in a DVD system. The DVD
system verifies an input password against the one or more passwords
to automatically select the parental level. If the user's input
password does not correspond to the one or more passwords set by
the authorized user, the DVD system automatically elects the
default parental level. Therefore, even if the authorized user
doesn't reset the parental level after setting the parental level
to an adult level, the DVD system of the present invention prevents
children or teenagers from accidentally viewing movies
corresponding to the adult level. The present invention allows more
convenient use of the parental control function made available in a
DVD system.
Inventors: |
Paek, Seung-Kyu;
(Gyeonggi-do, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STAAS & HALSEY LLP
700 11TH STREET, NW
SUITE 500
WASHINGTON
DC
20001
US
|
Assignee: |
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,
LTD.
Suwon-city
KR
|
Family ID: |
19712144 |
Appl. No.: |
10/082173 |
Filed: |
February 26, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
725/30 ;
348/E7.061; 386/E5.02; 725/25 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 21/4542 20130101;
H04N 21/4325 20130101; H04N 7/163 20130101; H04N 21/4753 20130101;
H04N 21/4532 20130101; H04N 21/4751 20130101; H04N 5/9201 20130101;
H04N 21/42646 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
725/30 ;
725/25 |
International
Class: |
H04N 007/16 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 13, 2001 |
KR |
2001-42345 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method of controlling levels for restricting a reproduction of
a video by a video reproducing system so as to restrict viewing of
a part or all of the video depending on a user's age, the method
comprising: setting passwords corresponding to the levels so as to
control viewing of the video; checking an input password against
the passwords prior to reproducing the video; determining a viewing
level including searching the levels corresponding to the input
password; and reproducing the video according to the viewing
level.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the video reproduction system is
a digital video disc (DVD) system, and the levels for restricting
the reproduction of the video are parental levels in the DVD
system.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the viewing
level further comprises determining the viewing level as a lowest
age level in response to the input password not matching the
passwords corresponding to the levels.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the viewing
level further comprises determining the viewing level as an upper
level in response to the input password matching more than one of
the passwords corresponding to the levels, wherein the upper level
is a highest age level among all age levels of the levels
corresponding to the input password.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewing level determined is
reset to a default viewing level in response to turning the video
reproduction system off, wherein the default viewing level is one
of a lowest age level set by an authorized user and a default age
level set by a manufacturer of the video reproducing system.
6. An apparatus for controlling levels for restricting a
reproduction of a video by a video reproducing system so as to
restrict viewing of a part or all of the video depending on a
user's age, comprising: a memory which stores passwords
corresponding to the levels; and a controller which outputs a
window to check an input password against the passwords in the
memory prior to a reproduction mode, reads information including
the levels corresponding to the input password to determine a
viewing level from the memory, and controls the reproduction of the
video according to the viewing level.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the video reproduction system
is a digital video disc (DVD) system, and the levels for
restricting the reproduction of the video are parental levels in
the DVD system.
8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller determines the
viewing level as a lowest age level in response to the input
password not matching the passwords.
9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the controller determines the
viewing level as an upper level in response to the input password
matching more than one of the passwords corresponding to the
levels, wherein the upper level is a highest age level among all
age levels of the levels corresponding to the input password.
levels for restricting viewing of the video depending on a user's
age to be the level of the highest age in a case where the same
passwords are set at two or more levels for restricting viewing of
the video depending on a user's age.
10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the viewing level determined
is reset to a default viewing level in response to turning the
video reproduction system off, wherein the default viewing level is
one of a lowest age level set by an authorized user and a default
age level set by a manufacturer of the video reproducing
system.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting initial
conditions for controlling the levels including: designating a
default viewing level to be used as the viewing level in response
to one of an elapse of a predetermined wait period, entry of an
incorrect input password and non-entry of the input password; and
selecting the predetermined wait period used by the video
reproduction system to convert the viewing level to the default
viewing level in response to one of a termination of the
reproduction of the video and turning the video reproduction system
off.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting of the passwords
comprises, one or a combination of, designating each of the
passwords to a corresponding one of the levels and designating one
of the passwords to a plurality of the levels.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the reproducing of the video
comprises: reading reproduction data from the video having a level
which is the same or lower than the viewing level determined; and
reproducing the reproduction data having the same or lower level
than the viewing level.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the viewing
level further comprises determining the viewing level as a default
viewing level in response to one of non-entry of the input
password, elapse of a predetermined wait period and non-matching of
the input password to the one or more passwords corresponding to
the levels.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the viewing level determined is
reset to a default viewing level in response to one of turning the
video reproducing system off and terminating the reproduction of
the video.
16. A method of controlling levels for restricting a reproduction
of a video by a video reproducing system so as to restrict viewing
of a part or all of the video, the method comprising: setting one
or more passwords corresponding to the levels so as to control
viewing of the video; determining a viewing level prior to
reproducing the video including verifying an input password against
the one or more passwords set in the video reproducing system,
wherein the viewing level is a level highest among all of the
levels corresponding to the input password in response to the input
password being consistent with the one or more passwords, and
otherwise determining the viewing level as a default viewing level;
and reproducing the video according to the viewing level.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the viewing level corresponding
to the input password is converted to the default viewing level in
response to one of turning the video reproducing system off, the
passage of a predetermined wait period and terminating the
reproduction of the video.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the setting of the one or more
passwords comprises, one or a combination of, designating each of
the one or more passwords to a corresponding one of the levels and
designating one of the one or more passwords to a plurality of the
levels.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the reproducing of the video
comprises: reading reproduction data from the video having a
reproduction level which is the same or lower than the viewing
level determined; and reproducing the reproduction data having the
same or lower level than the viewing level.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising setting initial
conditions for controlling the levels including: designating the
default viewing level to be used by the video reproducing; and
selecting the predetermined wait period used by the video
reproduction system.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the video reproduction system
is a digital video disc (DVD) system, and the levels for
restricting the reproduction of the video are parental levels in
the DVD system.
22. A method of controlling levels for restricting a reproduction
of a video by a video reproducing system so as to restrict viewing
of a part or all of the video, the method comprising: setting one
or more passwords corresponding to the levels so as to control
viewing of the video; determining a viewing level prior to
reproducing the video including verifying an input password against
the one or more passwords set in the video reproducing system,
wherein the viewing level is a level highest among all of the
levels corresponding to the input password in response to the input
password being consistent with the one or more passwords, and
otherwise automatically determining the viewing as a default
viewing level; and reproducing the video according to the viewing
level, wherein the viewing level corresponding to the input
password is reset to the default viewing level in response to one
of turning the video reproducing system off, an elapse of a
predetermined wait period and terminating the reproduction of the
video.
23. A method of controlling levels for restricting a reproduction
of a video by a video reproducing system so as to restrict viewing
of a part or all of the video, the method comprising: setting one
or more passwords corresponding to the levels including one or a
combination of, designating each of the one or more passwords to a
corresponding one of the levels and designating one of the one or
more passwords to a plurality of the levels; determining a viewing
level in response to each instance of turning the video reproducing
system on including verifying an input password entered after the
each instance of turning on of the video reproducing system against
the one or more passwords set in the video reproducing system,
wherein the viewing level is a level highest among all of the
levels corresponding to the input password in response to the input
password being consistent with the one or more passwords, and
otherwise automatically determining the viewing as a default
viewing level; and reproducing the video according to the viewing
level.
24. An apparatus for controlling levels for restricting a
reproduction of a video by a video reproducing system so as to
restrict viewing of a part or all of the video, comprising: a
memory which stores data including one or more passwords
corresponding to the levels so as to control viewing of the video;
and a controller which determines a viewing level prior to
reproduction of the video and controls the reproduction of the
video according to the viewing level, wherein the controller
verifies an input password against the one or more passwords stored
in the memory and determines the viewing level as a level highest
among all of the levels corresponding to the input password in
response to the input password being consistent with the one or
more passwords, and otherwise the controller determines the viewing
level as a default viewing level.
25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the viewing level
corresponding to the input password is converted to the default
viewing level in response to one of turning the video reproducing
system off, the passage of a predetermined wait period and
terminating the reproduction of the video.
26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the one or more passwords
stored in the memory includes, one or a combination of, each of the
one or more passwords corresponding to one of the levels and one of
the one or more passwords corresponding to a plurality of the
levels.
27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the controller reproduces
the video by reading and reproducing reproduction data from the
video having a reproduction level which is the same or lower than
the viewing level determined by the controller.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the video reproduction
system is a digital video disc (DVD) system, and the levels for
restricting the reproduction of the video are parental levels in
the DVD system.
29. An apparatus for controlling levels for restricting a
reproduction of a video by a video reproducing system so as to
restrict viewing of a part or all of the video, comprising: a
memory which stores data including one or more passwords
corresponding to the levels so as to control viewing of the video;
and a controller which determines a viewing level prior to
reproduction of the video, controls the reproduction of the video
according to the viewing level and resets the viewing level to a
default viewing level in response to one of turning the video
reproducing system off, the passage of a predetermined wait period
and terminating the reproduction of the video, wherein the
controller verifies an input password against the one or more
passwords stored in the memory and determines the viewing level as
a level highest among all of the levels corresponding to the input
password in response to the input password being consistent with
the one or more passwords, and otherwise the controller
automatically determines the viewing level as the default viewing
level.
30. An apparatus for controlling levels for restricting a
reproduction of a video by a video reproducing system so as to
restrict viewing of a part or all of the video, comprising: a
memory which stores data including one or more passwords
corresponding to the levels so as to control viewing of the video;
and a controller which determines a viewing level in response to
each instance of turning on the video reproducing system and
controls the reproduction of the video according to the viewing
level, wherein the controller verifies an input password entered
after the each instance of turning on of the video reproducing
system against the one or more passwords stored in the memory and
determines the viewing level as a level highest among all of the
levels corresponding to the input password in response to the input
password being consistent with the one or more passwords, and
otherwise the controller automatically determines the viewing as a
default viewing level.
31. A computer readable medium encoded with processing instructions
for implementing a method of controlling levels for restricting a
reproduction of a video so as to restrict viewing of a part or all
of the video in a video reproduction system performed by a
computer, the method comprising: receiving one or more passwords
corresponding to the levels so as to control viewing of the video;
determining a viewing level prior to reproducing the video
including verifying an input password against the one or more
passwords, wherein the viewing level is a level highest among all
of the levels corresponding to the input password in response to
the input password being consistent with the one or more passwords,
and otherwise determining the viewing as a default viewing level;
and reproducing the video according to the viewing level.
32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the levels
are included in a data set which comprises a parental table having,
one or a combination of, each of the one or more passwords
corresponding to each of the levels and one of the one or more
passwords corresponding to a plurality of the levels.
33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the viewing
level corresponding to the input password is converted to the
default viewing level in response to one of turning the video
reproducing system off, the passage of a predetermined wait period
and terminating the reproduction of the video.
34. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein the
reproducing of the video comprises: reading reproduction data from
the video having a reproduction level which is same or lower than
the viewing level determined; and reproducing the reproduction data
having the same or lower level than the viewing level.
35. The computer readable medium of claim 34, further comprising
receiving the default viewing level and the predetermined wait
period used by the video reproduction system.
36. The computer readable medium of claim 34, wherein the video
reproduction system is a digital video disc (DVD) system, and the
levels for restricting the reproduction of the video are parental
levels in the DVD system.
37. A computer readable medium encoded with processing instructions
for implementing a method of controlling levels for restricting a
reproduction of a video so as to restrict viewing of a part or all
of the video in a video reproduction system performed by a
computer, the method comprising: receiving one or more passwords
corresponding to the levels so as to control viewing of the video;
determining a viewing level prior to reproducing the video
including verifying an input password against the one or more
passwords set in the video reproducing system, wherein the viewing
level is a level highest among all of the levels corresponding to
the input password in response to the input password being
consistent with the one or more passwords, and otherwise
automatically determining the viewing as a default viewing level;
and reproducing the video according to the viewing level, wherein
the viewing level corresponding to the input password is reset to
the default viewing level in response to one of turning the video
reproducing system off, the passage of a predetermined wait period
and terminating the reproduction of the video.
38. A computer readable medium encoded with processing instructions
for implementing a method of controlling levels for restricting a
reproduction of a video so as to restrict viewing of a part or all
of the video in a video reproduction system performed by a
computer, the method comprising: receiving one or more passwords
corresponding to the levels so as to control viewing of the video;
determining a viewing level in response to each instance of turning
the video reproducing system on including verifying an input
password entered after the each instance of turning on of the video
reproducing system against the one or more passwords set in the
video reproducing system, wherein the viewing level is a level
highest among all of the levels corresponding to the input password
in response to the input password being consistent with the one or
more passwords, and otherwise automatically determining the viewing
as a default viewing level; and reproducing the video according to
the viewing level.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Application
No. 2001-42345, filed Jul. 13, 2001, in the Korean Industrial
Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a method of restricting the
reproduction of a video according to levels of a video reproducing
system and an apparatus for restricting the same. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a method and an
apparatus for controlling parental levels for restricting the
reproduction of a video by a video reproducing system, such as a
digital video disc (DVD) system, in which passwords are set
according to the parental levels desired in the DVD system and the
reproduction of a DVD title is controlled according to a viewing
level corresponding to an input password.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] DVDs have a higher recording data density and picture
quality than conventional video media such as compact discs (CDs).
In addition, a variety of functions can be incorporated into DVDs
and DVD systems. For example, a DVD system can be set with a
predetermined level ("parental level") which restricts the
reproduction of a DVD. In other words, a DVD system reproduces a
movie or scenes from a movie corresponding to the parental level
set by an authorized user. The parental level is set according to a
program chain of a movie recorded in a DVD title.
[0006] In general, parental levels are classified according to
contents of video scenes in a DVD title. For example, parental
levels are classified into a children level, a teenager level, and
an adult level. A level 1, for example, may be a lowest parental
level corresponding to the children level, while a higher parental
level, such as 3, may correspond to the adult level. If an
authorized user selects the children level, a DVD system selects
and reproduces only scenes corresponding to the children level
among all scenes recorded in a DVD title. In contrast, if the
authorized user selects the adult level, a DVD system reproduces
all of the scenes, regardless of their levels, recorded in the DVD
title.
[0007] In a conventional DVD system, once the DVD system is set
with one of the parental levels, the DVD system continues to
reproduce a video according to that level until the authorized user
manually resets the DVD system with another parental level. For
example, if an adult user forgets to reset the parent level from an
adult level to a children/teenager level, conventional DVD systems
will continue to play a DVD title under the adult level, exposing
the children or teenagers to adult level scenes present in the DVD
title. That is, with the conventional DVD systems, the adult user
must reset the parent level every time a reproduction of a DVD
title is terminated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide an apparatus and a method of controlling parental levels
for restricting the reproduction of a video by a video reproducing
system, in which one or more passwords are set corresponding to the
parental levels, and the video reproducing system automatically
converts a viewing level to a default level after reproducing a DVD
title according to the viewing level (parental level) corresponding
to an input password.
[0009] Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be
set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part,
will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice
of the invention.
[0010] To achieve the above and other objects of the present
invention, there is provided a method of controlling levels for
restricting the reproduction of a video by a video reproducing
system so as to restrict viewing of a part or all of the video
depending on a user's age. The method includes setting one or more
passwords corresponding to a plurality of levels for a restricted
viewing of a video, checking an input password with the one or more
passwords prior to reproducing the video, determining a viewing
level by searching for the plurality of levels corresponding to the
input password, and reproducing the part or all of the video
according to the viewing level.
[0011] To achieve the above and other objects of the present
invention, there is also provided an apparatus for restricting a
viewing of a video depending on a user's age. The apparatus
includes a memory which stores one or more passwords corresponding
to a plurality of levels for restricting a viewing of a video, and
a controller which outputs a window to check an input password
against the one or more passwords in the memory prior to a
reproduction mode, reads information on one or more of the
plurality of levels corresponding to the input password to
determine a viewing level from the memory, and controls a
reproduction of the video according to the viewing level.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The above object and advantages of the present invention
will become more apparent by describing in detail preferred
embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in
which:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a block diagram a digital video disc (DVD) system
employing an apparatus which controls levels for a restricted
reproduction of a video by a video reproducing system according to
an embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating a method of controlling
levels for a restricted reproduction of a video by a video
reproducing system according to an embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0015] FIG. 3 is a detailed flow chart illustrating operations 203
and 204 shown in FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Reference will now be made in detail to the present
preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which
are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like
reference numerals to like elements throughout.
[0017] FIG. 1 shows a digital video disc (DVD) system employing an
apparatus which controls levels for a restricted reproduction of a
video by a video reproducing system. The DVD system includes a DVD
101, a pick-up 102, an RF amplifier 103, a digital signal
processing unit 104, a stream separating unit 105, an audio signal
processing unit 106, a speaker 107, a video signal processing unit
108, a display unit 109, a controller 110, a servo controller 111,
a spindle motor 112, a memory 113, a key inputting unit 114, and an
on screen display (OSD) 115.
[0018] The servo controller 111 controls the speed of the spindle
motor 112 and the movement of the pick-up 102 according to a
control command of the controller 110. That is, the servo
controller 111 performs servo control for servos such as a tracking
servo, a focus servo, a seek servo, and a rotating servo.
[0019] The pick-up 102 detects data recorded in the DVD 101 using a
mounted semiconductor laser diode and a photo diode, and outputs
the detected data to the RF amplifier 103. The RF amplifier 103
amplifies a signal detected in the DVD 101, outputs a servo control
signal to the servo controller 111, and outputs a signal processing
signal to the digital signal processing unit 104.
[0020] The digital signal processing unit 104 converts a signal
input to the RF amplifier 103 into digital data, and performs error
correction. In particular, the digital signal processing unit 104
extracts parental level information from data, selects reproduction
data of a program chain having a level which is the same as or
lower than input parental level(s) from the controller 110, and
outputs the selected reproduction data to the stream separating
unit 105.
[0021] The stream separating unit 105 separates audio data, video
data, and additional information data from an input reproduction
data stream, and outputs the separated data to the audio signal
processing unit 106 and the video signal processing unit 108.
[0022] The audio signal processing unit 106 decodes input audio
data, converts the input audio data into an analog signal, and
outputs the analog signal to the speaker 107.
[0023] The video signal processing unit 108 decodes input video
data and additional information data, synthesizes the decoded video
data and additional information data, encodes the synthesized video
data according to the format of the display unit 109, and outputs
the encoded video data to the display unit 109. In addition, the
video signal processing unit 108 also synthesizes an on screen
display signal processed in the OSD 115, and outputs the
synthesized on screen display signal to the display unit 109.
[0024] The memory 113 stores one or more passwords that correspond
to parental levels. According to an aspect of the present
invention, different passwords may be assigned corresponding to
each of the parental levels, and/or a password may be assigned
corresponding to a plurality of parental levels.
[0025] The controller 110 controls the entire DVD system. In
particular, the controller 110 outputs a window, which obtains an
input password, prior to a reproduction mode, reads parental level
information consistent with the input password from the memory 113,
and outputs the read parental level information to the digital
signal processing unit 104. Then, the digital signal processing
unit 104 only selects data of a program chain having a level which
is the same as or lower than the read parental level information
from the controller 110, and outputs the selected data to the
stream separating unit 105 which performs a signal processing.
[0026] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a method of controlling
levels for a restricted reproduction of a video by a video
reproducing system according to an embodiment of the present
invention is described below.
[0027] In operation 201, initial conditions for managing the
parental levels in a DVD system are set by using the key inputting
unit 114. That is, an authorized user may set a wait period that
the DVD system waits prior to changing a current viewing level to a
default level as the power is turned off and/or the reproduction of
a DVD title is terminated. In addition, the authorized user may
also select a parental level that is to be used as the default
level. The DVD system uses the default level, for example, in
response to the elapsed wait period, entry of an incorrect input
password and non-entry of an input password.
[0028] In operation 202, one or more passwords may set by a manager
of the DVD system (machine selected) corresponding to the parental
levels. In such a case, it is necessary to check the manager of the
DVD system using a separate procedure. Alternatively, the
authorized user may set one or more passwords corresponding to the
parental levels and/or a password corresponding to a plurality of
parental levels. The set passwords are stored with its parental
level information in a parental table of the memory 113.
[0029] In operation 203, the DVD system outputs a window which
obtains an input password prior to the reproduction of a DVD title.
Then, the controller 110 reads the parental level information
corresponding to the input password from the memory 113, and
outputs the read parental level information to the digital signal
processing unit 104.
[0030] In operation 204, the digital signal processing unit 114
selects a reproduction signal of a program chain having a level
which is the same as or lower than the read parental level
information from the controller 110, and outputs the selected
reproduction signal.
[0031] FIG. 3 illustrates the operations 203 and 204 of FIG. 2 in
more detail.
[0032] In operation 301, the controller 110 determines whether the
DVD system corresponds to one of the conditions for setting
parental levels. For example, the conditions for setting the
parental levels may be programmed as an entry of a command for
reproducing a DVD title and as an instance when the power for the
DVD system is turned on.
[0033] In operation 302, if the DVD system corresponds to the
conditions for setting the parental levels, the controller 110
controls the OSD 115 and outputs a window through the display unit
109 so as to allow the authorized user to enter one or more
passwords corresponding to the parental levels.
[0034] In operation 303, if a user inputs an input password onto
the window output through the key inputting unit 114, in operation
304, the controller 110 determines whether the one or more
passwords stored in the parental table of the memory 113 are
consistent with the input password.
[0035] In operation 305, if one of the one or more passwords is
consistent with the input password in the parental table, parental
level information corresponding to the input password is read from
the memory 113. If there are a plurality of parental levels, thus a
plurality of parental level information, consistent with the input
password, the parental level information at the highest level is
read from the memory 113.
[0036] However, in operation 306, if there is no password
consistent with the input password in the parental table, parental
level information set as a default level is read from the memory
113. In other words, the parental level information having a
default level, the lowest parental level, is selected.
[0037] In operation 307, the controller 110 controls the DVD system
such that only a program chain corresponding to the parental level
read in the operation 305 or 306 is selected and reproduced.
[0038] According to the present invention, passwords are set
corresponding to parental levels in a DVD system, and a parental
level suitable for a user's age is automatically set according to
an input password. In addition, the DVD system of the present
invention automatically converts the parental level to a default
level even if an authorized user doesn't reset the parental level
after setting the parental level to an adult level. Therefore, the
DVD system of the present invention is convenient to use, and in
particular, the DVD system of the present invention prevents
children or teenagers from mistakenly viewing movies corresponding
to an adult level.
[0039] The present invention may be performed by a method, an
apparatus, and a system. When the present invention is performed by
software, elements of the present invention may be code segments
which perform essential operations of the invention. Programs or
code segments may be stored in a processor readable medium and may
be transmitted by computer data signals coupled with a carrier
signal in a transmission medium or a communication network. The
processor readable medium includes a medium capable of storing or
transmitting information. Specifically, the processor readable
medium includes electronic circuits, semiconductor memory devices,
read only memories (ROMs), flash memories, erasable ROMs, floppy
discs, optical discs, hard discs, optical fabric media, and radio
frequency (RF) networks. The computer data signals include signals
which can be propagated onto transmission media, such as electronic
network channels, optical fibers, airs, electromagnetic fields, and
RF networks.
[0040] Although a few preferred embodiments of the present
invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by
those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these
embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the
invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their
equivalents.
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